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9 responses to “Repost: The Fate of Empires And Search For Survival”

What a nice and quiet time that part of 2018 was, with the comments turned off. Where did the blamers and haters and sociopaths go during that hiatus from them having a platform? Did they do a duck and cover until the all clear, only to come back recharged like the Energizer bunny beating that drum?

Mosby’s third book takes great stock in Glubb’s writing. The book is worth its price.

Grandkids are too young to understand it on reading, with their little life experience.

“When I first read these contemporary descriptions of tenth-century Baghdad, I could scarcely believe my eyes. I told myself that this must be a joke! The descriptions might have been taken out of The Times today. The resemblance of all the details was especially breathtaking—the break-up of the empire, the abandonment of sexual morality, the ‘pop’ singers with their guitars, the entry of women into the professions, the five-dayweek. I would not venture to attempt an explanation! There are so many mysteries about human life which are far beyond our comprehension.”

Stating the obvious:
It is truly Groundhog day on planet earth. We are doomed to repeat history year after year, century after century, millennia after millennia.

I had read Glub’s treatise on the lifespan of empires (which he estimates to be at around 250 years) quite a while back. Problem is, he conveniently leaves out the Byzantine Empire, which lasted roughly from 330 AD to 1453 AD. Sir John can be excused for doing so since his theory regarding empires would have fallen flat along with his career had he mentioned Byzantium’s longevity and the fact that Jews were not allowed to hold political office therein nor were they allowed to teach in schools. These two factors were key in holding their power in check.

“the fact that Jews were not allowed to hold political office therein nor were they allowed to teach in schools. ” – also the reason why the Byzantine Empire lasted more than a thousand years and the reason why Sir John Glub left it out of his list of short lifespan empires.